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Relaxing in your car or on a grassy lawn, eating popcorn and watching a movie on a big outdoor screen makes an evening at the outdoor cinema fun and memorable. Persuading people to buy tickets to your outdoor cinema events is the idea behind advertising. Advertising briefs, also referred to as creative briefs, help you figure out the message to develop in persuading moviegoers to head to your show so your cinema draws a full crowd each night. The brief also acts as a guide for defining your campaign, making it ideal for sharing with your staff so they understand the objectives of your advertising tactics.

Describe Your Cinema

Describe the type of outdoor cinema you offer, such as a drive-in movie theater, a floating screen on the local lake or a big-screen set up on a grassy lawn. Describe the amenities you provide, such as speakers you clip onto your car windows if you operate a drive-in cinema. If people need to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets, mention this. Also explain what types of snacks, food and beverages you offer, the types of movies you plan to show and the schedule for showing your films.

Set Objectives

Write down the objectives of your advertising campaign, such as announcing your upcoming movie schedule or increasing audience attendance by 20 percent for each night you show movies. Other objectives can focus on promoting events, such as “two-for-one” movie nights or bringing the whole family to get a special-priced concession package as part of the deal.

Discuss Competitors

You might be the only outdoor cinema in town, but you’re still competing against movie theaters, DVD rentals and downloads and on-demand options. As you define your competition, look for ways to stand out, such as enjoying a night under the stars, getting out of the house for a fun night out and watching movies on a bigger screen than that available in your audience’s home. Another advantage might be enjoying a glimpse into American tradition if you run a drive-in theater.

Identify Obstacles

Some people think outdoor cinemas, especially drive-ins, are rowdy places where kids get fresh in their cars, making this mindset an obstacle your advertising efforts needs to overcome. Outdoor cinemas set up on the lawn or a lake might mean biting bugs, uncomfortable cool weather or rainy conditions, so you need to find ways to overcome these as part of your brief.

Research Audience

Not everyone wants to head to the outdoor cinema to watch a movie, so write down the characteristics of your target market. For instance, if you show old black-and-white movies, your audience might comprise older people reminiscing about the good old days or film lovers. If you show family films, your audience consists of parents with children old enough to stay up past 10 p.m. to watch a movie outdoors.

Develop Branding

Branding helps you create a memorable impression so people remember your outdoor cinema when they want to enjoy a night out. Developing your brand requires creating a tone of voice to use in your advertising efforts. Explain the tone you plan to use, such as using a fun message to get people excited about your cinema and to get the entire family involved.

About the Author

Nancy Wagner is a marketing strategist and speaker who started writing in 1998. She writes business plans for startups and established companies and teaches marketing and promotional tactics at local workshops. Wagner's business and marketing articles have appeared in "Home Business Journal," "Nation’s Business," "Emerging Business" and "The Mortgage Press," among others. She holds a B.S. from Eastern Illinois University.